Toddler Sing and Sign is a play-based program, including an award-winning music CD, for teaching toddlers simple American Sign Language. The program, which features more than fifty words and signs easily learned through song, is convenient to incorporate into children's daily routine. It includes signs for animals, colors, actions, and other key words toddlers use to communicate their wants and needs. It also shows how learning sign language helps verbal toddlers improve language, learning, and motor skills while preventing tantrums and more.
Anne Meeker Miller, Ph.D., is the founder of the Love Language for Babies' Program. She teaches Baby Sing & Sign' series and seminars at a major medical center in the Kansas City area. Through her writing and workshops, she shares information about the benefits of music, sign language and play for babies, and gives easy and practical strategies for embedding all three into the daily lives of families.
Her new Baby Sing & Sign' book comes with a music CD of her 13 'baby-tested and parent-approved' songs for singing and signing. Her music and play activities engage infants and toddlers in sign language learning, making communication easy for young children to achieve.
Anne's toddler/preschool music CD called Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Tailed won a 2006 Honors NAPPA award from the National Parenting Publications Association. The CD will be the basis for her new book, Toddler Sing & Sign, available in July 2007 (Marlowe & Company/Avalon Publishers). A third book, Baby Sing and Sign: Time to Sleep and Eat will be ready in October, 2007.
Anne is a music therapist for the early childhood special education program of the Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kansas. Her preschool students were the inspiration for her work with sign language and music. Anne observed the way song and sign positively impacted the language skills of her students and wanted to have an influence even earlier in the lives of children when language is first acquired.
She was named 2004 Kansas Educator of the Year for Arts and Disabilities by the Kansas State Department of Education and Accessible Arts, Inc.
She performs ' along with her two bands, The Music Men and Konza Swamp ' at the annual KIDZ 4 KIDZ Concert. She founded the event to benefit the Fox 4 Love Fund for Children, a Kansas City charity that provides necessary goods and services to children in need. Over 1,000 people attend this popular family concert.
Anne writes a monthly infant sign language column for Mother And Child Reunion' parenting magazine. These pieces are available for you to help you get started with sign language learning at www.babysingandsign.com.
Her conference presentations this year include the International Parents as Teachers Association, the American Music Therapy Association, the Music Educators National Conference, National American Orff-Schulwerk Association, Midwest Association for the Education of Young Children, and the Family Childcare Providers Outreach Conference.
Anne has taught music to students from preschool through college levels. She received the Excellence in Teaching Award given by the Learning Exchange, Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and The Kansas City Star. She was a commission member of the Housewright Symposium on the Future of Music Education sponsored by the Music Educators National Conference.
Anne lives in Olathe, Kansas, where she enjoys spending time with her husband, three sons and Wheaten terrier, Cooper.
